STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1830

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 98

      S.D. 1

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 98, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the efficacy of school health functions by:

     (1)  Repealing the transfer from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Department of Education (DOE), of public health nurses who supervise school health aides;

     (2)  Repealing the School Health Services Program currently operating within DOH;

     (3)  Creating a School Health Services Program within DOE; and

     (4)  Requiring DOE to provide career pathways development and training opportunities for school health aides in the school health services field and other fields within DOE to ensure their opportunity for continued employment within DOE.

     DOE, DOH, and the Department of Human Resources Development testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association testified in opposition to this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 98, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 98, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair